1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to metal forming machines and more particularly pertains to a new gutter forming machine for forming a gutter having a vertically extended back wall for mounting the gutter on a structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of metal forming machines is known in the prior art. More specifically, metal forming machines have been heretofore devised and utilized for forming gutters having front and back and bottom walls. The typical gutter formed by these machines have front and back walls that extend substantially the same distance from the bottom wall of the gutter, such as shown in FIG. 1. This is especially true of gutters formed by machines designed to xe2x80x9ccontinuouslyxe2x80x9d form long lengths of gutters. The known gutter forming machines are limited to forming gutters that have front and back walls that are substantially the same heights with respect to the bottom wall.
Gutters which have back walls which are substantially the same height as the front wall tend to be difficult to mount on a structure in a properly sloped manner that induces the flow of water along the gutter toward a downspout draining the gutter. The gutter must be attached (e.g., such as by nails or screws) to the structure in a manner producing a slope, thus requiring the installer of the gutter to slope the gutter simply by attaching various portions of the gutter to the structure at different vertical heights. This can be difficult to accomplish, especially at the height of the edge of a roof of a structure. The proper sloping of the gutter is thus left to the skill of the installer, and satisfactory results are not always accomplished.
In these respects, the gutter forming machine according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of metal forming machines now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new gutter forming machine construction wherein the same can be utilized for forming a gutter having a vertically extended back wall for mounting the gutter on a structure.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a plurality of upper rollers for contacting an upper surface of the material strip and a plurality of lower rollers for contacting a lower surface of the material strip. A lower roller support structure supports the plurality of lower rollers along the path and an upper roller support structure supports the plurality of upper rollers along the path. An auxiliary forming assembly is adapted for contacting a portion of the lower surface of the material strip for forming a portion of the back wall of the gutter. The auxiliary forming assembly comprises a plurality of auxiliary roller assemblies for contacting and guiding a portion of the material strip for forming an extended portion of the back wall of the gutter that extends away from the bottom wall beyond the first plane of the upper lip of the front wall. Optionally, a pair of edge guide rails are provided for guiding the material strip along at least a portion of the path, with the edge guide rails being laterally spaced for engaging the front and back side edges of the material strip. Optionally, a stiffener assembly is provided for forming a stiffening bead in the material strip adjacent to the back edge of the material strip.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
The objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.